John Stirling Young FRSE (1894–1971) was a 20th-century Scottish physician who served as Professor of Pathology at

Aberdeen University , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

. He specialised in

histology Histology, also known as microscopic anatomy or microanatomy, is the branch of biology which studies the microscopic anatomy of biological tissues. Histology is the microscopic counterpart to gross anatomy, which looks at larger structures vi ...

and tumour pathology.

Life

He was born in Symington in Ayrshire on 24 September 1894, the son of Matthew Young and his wife, Mary Stirling. He was educated at

Kilmarnock Academy Kilmarnock Academy (Scottish Gaelic: ''Acadamaidh Chille Mheàrnaig''), formerly Kilmarnock Burgh School, is a state-funded secondary school in Kilmarnock, Scotland, currently located on Sutherland Drive in the New Farm Loch area of the town. The ...

. His studies at

Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

were disrupted by the war. In the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

he served in the Cameron Highlanders and fought at the

Battle of Loos The Battle of Loos took place from 1915 in France on the Western Front, during the First World War. It was the biggest British attack of 1915, the first time that the British used poison gas and the first mass engagement of New Army units. Th ...

. He then won a commission and transferred to the 1st battalion

Black Watch The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regime ...

as an Adjutant under

Victor Fortune Major General Sir Victor Morven Fortune (21 August 1883 – 2 January 1949) was a senior officer of the British Army. He saw service in both World War I and World War II. He commanded the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division during the Battle ...

. He won the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC ...

for bravery. Following the war he gained a general MA BSc in 1920 then began a medical degree qualifying MB ChB in 1923. He then began specialist studies in pathology under Prof

Robert Muir Robert Muir may refer to: * Robert Muir (pathologist) (1864–1959), Scottish pathologist *Robert Muir (politician) (1919–2011), Canadian politician * Robbie Muir (footballer) (born 1953), Australian rules footballer * Bob Muir (coach), American ...

. He gained his doctorate (MD) in 1928. In 1932 he was appointed Professor of Pathology at

Queen's University, Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...

and in 1937 moved to the same position at

Aberdeen University , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

. He played a strong role in relocating the Medical Faculty from

Marischal College Marischal College ( ) is a large granite building on Broad Street in the centre of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland, and since 2011 has acted as the headquarters of Aberdeen City Council. However, the building was constructed for and is on long- ...

to Foresterhill in 1938. In 1944 he was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This socie ...

. His proposers were Ernest Cruickshank, Thomas Hugh Milroy, Sir

Alister Hardy Sir Alister Clavering Hardy (10 February 1896 – 22 May 1985) was an English marine biologist, an expert on marine ecosystems spanning organisms from zooplankton to whales. He had the artistic skill to illustrate his books with his own drawing ...

and

James Robert Matthews James Robert Matthews FRSE FLS CBE LLD (1889–1978) was a 20th-century Scottish botanist. He was president of the British Ecological Society in 1934 and president of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh 1939 to 1942. Life He was born in the vil ...

. He retired in 1962 after 25 years at Aberdeen University. The following year he was awarded an honorary doctorate (LLD).Aberdeen University Review 1964 He died on 16 September 1971.

Family

In 1930 he married Ruth Whipple. They had three sons.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Young, John Stirling 1894 births 1971 deaths People from South Ayrshire Recipients of the Military Cross Alumni of the University of Glasgow Academics of the University of Aberdeen Scottish pathologists Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh People educated at Kilmarnock Academy Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders soldiers Black Watch officers British Army personnel of World War I Academics of Queen's University Belfast Military personnel from South Ayrshire